The prostate is a small gland near your bladder. It’s next to the nerves that are necessary for an erection to happen. For men with prostate cancer, surgical removal of the prostate can lead to ED.

High blood pressure makes the heart work harder. This puts strain on the blood vessels, which then harden and narrow. This can prevent blood from getting to the penis and lead to ED. In a study, more than 65% of men with high blood pressure also had ED.

Additionally, some medications used to treat high blood pressure can lead to ED. Make sure your doctor is aware of all medications you are taking.

Diabetes is a condition where there is too much sugar, or glucose, in the blood. Over time, high blood sugar levels can damage nerves and blood vessels—like the ones that produce erections. When this occurs, diabetes can lead to erectile dysfunction.

In a study, up to 85% of men with diabetes had some form of ED.

Obesity can cause real harm to your health. For example, it’s associated with medical conditions that can affect blood flow. And when blood flow is affected, it can cause ED.

High cholesterol can clog your arteries. This can slow blood flow to the penis. The result? It can affect the quality of your erections.

In a study, high cholesterol raised men’s risk of erectile dysfunction by 80%.

Heart disease can clog or narrow the arteries. This can stop blood from flowing to the penis, and may cause ED. Talk to your doctor to make sure your heart is healthy enough for sex.

An injury to the spine can affect many functions in the body. Erectile function is no exception.

Due to nerve damage, some men with spinal cord injuries can’t get erections. Others can—but can’t keep them hard enough or long enough for sex.